Author
Topic: Used this several times yesterday (Read 2660 times)

vI am part of a philanthropic group at school that performs a number of duties. At school functions, the members of this group interact with people, be it alumni, students, or guests. Yesterday we served as ushers for graduation and directed graduates, professors, VIP members, guests, and handicapped guests to their appropriate locations. I don't know if the cold made people irritable, but this was the rudest group of individuals I have ever dealt with. Luckily, I remembered this phrase through the day and advised my fellow ushers-we can sometimes act like deer in the headlights when confrontations occur.

What mystifies me is the amount of authority people believe I have, as if I personally created the rules just to inconvenience them. Take these examples:

Elderly Woman: "Now, is there going to be handicapped seating where we can sit?"Me: "Yes Ma'am, go to your right and you'll see it, it's just through this hall. You're allowed to have one family member sit with you."Elderly Woman: *steps closer to get in my face* "That's not going to work at all, I have my whole family that needs to sit with me."Me: "Ma'am, I'm afraid that won't be possible."Elderly Woman: *yelling* "Now I'm going to have to take the stairs! This won't work unless my family's down there."Me: "I'm afraid that won't be possible." Elderly Woman: *stomps off*

Me: "Sir, you can't eat in the arena, there's a trash can here where you can dispose of your food."Man: "I'm eating in there anyway."Me: "I'm afraid that won't be possible."Man: "What are you, the food police?"Me: "No sir, the police are on the other side of the foyer if you would like me to fetch them."Man: *throws food in the trash*

It's really helped myself and my friends, who are using this instead of stammering or saying "Um, sorry..." and such.

I wish I had known the phrase when I worked security at a race track. Instead I had to keep explaining until they understood that I wasn't going to budge or until I got fed up enough to threaten to kick them out. It would have been easier to rinse and repeat this phrase as needed.